


Antidote

by belovedbey



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 00:00:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17456768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belovedbey/pseuds/belovedbey
Summary: Director Graves needs to inspect Newt Scamander's case and things go a little not-according-to-plan.





	Antidote

“Mr. Graves, sir, this is Newt Scamander--he has a crazy creature in that case and it got out and caused mayhem in a bank, sir,” Tina spoke, moving from behind her desk to stand before the Director while indicating the brown suitcase on the floor beside Newt. Mind sifting through an abundance of expletives, he tried to move forward to prevent Tina from taking it but the Auror was quicker, darting down and pulling it away. Before he could intervene, Graves rose a hand to prevent him from doing so.

“Let’s see the little guy.” Newt could only stand, stomach twisting with anxiety as he watched the intimidating man join Tina’s side, who had placed the case atop a table in her office and unlatched the two clasps that kept it shut. When she lifted it open, Newt was relieved when nothing suddenly burst from the inside--it would be rather horrendous to have the Niffler, or any of his other creatures for that matter, make their presence known in the middle of MACUSA; it seemed they were smarter than that though--but the Director stepped forward, curiously eyeing the ladder leading down into the case with a raised brow. “Undetectable Extension Charm?” 

Newt nodded at the man when he looked back to confirm his question. “Something of the sort.”

“And this ‘creature’ is somewhere inside?” Graves asked, turning back around and peering down into the case to see if he could catch sight of anything. 

“Well… yes,” Newt answered completely honest, purposefully leaving it at that so as not to have the rest of his creatures exposed, but the Director didn’t seem appeased with just his affirmation.

“You do realize something of this magnitude needs a permit within the United States, Mr. Scamander?” The man asked accusingly, grey eyes boring into him. Awkwardly shuffling, Newt longed to just snatch his case and apparate away, but he strongly doubted that would be possible; the Director would most likely seize him before he could take the chance, and apparition was most definitely impossible from within the Congress’ premises.

“Um… I probably could’ve guessed, Director.” Leaning forward, the Director shut the case and latched it, making his heart jump with hope until the man opened his mouth again.

“I’ll have to inspect this case before I allow a permit for it. Please come with me to my office, Mr. Scamander.” It wasn’t a question or a simple request; it was an order. Frozen at his words, Newt fearfully glanced at the woman who put him in the situation, but Tina refused to meet his worried eyes, instead meaninglessly shuffling through some of the papers on her desk. Rooted to the spot, he couldn’t generate an idea to get out of this and so submitted to his doom, head hanging forward.

“Okay.” Pleased at his acceptance, Graves maintained his tight grip on the suitcase before nodding at Tina. 

“Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Goldstein.” Graves turned to him after say this. “Come.” And with that, the man spun and strode away, leaving Newt to clamber after him. Even though his legs were longer than the Director’s, he didn’t possess the grace Graves owned and nearly stumbled a few times amidst their fast pace. To be fair, his mind was not focused on each step he took, but rather on the suitcase held in Graves’s left hand, unmoving next to his legs as he walked. The workers milling about the department offered him comforting glances as they spotted him trailing after their Director; for even though they didn’t know this lanky redhead, they knew how imposing Graves was. Instead of comforting him, these glances just made the magizoologist even more anxious. “What brings you to New York, Mr. Scamander?” It took him a moment to realize the Director had asked him this, for he hadn’t bothered to turn to him when asking.

“Oh… well, I’ve come to get a birthday gift for someone.” He lied as they turned a corner and began descending a marble stairwell; it was the same marble that the walls of this section of the department were made of.

“All the way from London?” Graves asked, not particularly believing. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Newt thankful he managed not to trip down them, they continued further down the hallway before suddenly coming to a halt, Newt nearly slamming into the Director much to his embarrassment.

“Y-Yes,” he answered while hurriedly backtracking, but the man didn’t acknowledge him whatsoever as he placed his palm over a gold emblem on the wall, muttering something under his breath that allowed him to push open the door Newt now noticed. Following the man in through the doorway, he nearly jumped when the marble door shut hard behind him, but he maintained composure as he watched the Director place the suitcase on the floor. This was it, he supposed; he’d finally be arrested. His brother always berated him over his method of containing his creatures, muttering about how illegal it was and that he could get in serious trouble for it, and now he wished he paid attention to Theseus’ reprimands. It would be fine, Newt thought. If they just arrested him and left his creatures unharmed, it would be fine.  
Would they really leave his creatures unharmed though? 

With this unsettling thought knotted in his throat, he watched Graves unclasp the suitcase once more but was surprised when the man straightened his posture and gestured for him to enter first. Not wishing to argue and not upset about this, Newt rushed forward, not daring to look at the Director as he carefully stepped into the suitcase and expertly slid down the ladder. Before he could even begin to survey his workspace for any potentially illegal items that needed hiding, the Director was beside him, face stoic as he studied the messy area. On the long table in the middle of the room, various papers and odd items littered the table, and above, pots and pans and other things hung from the ceiling. “Is the creature in here?”

“Hopefully,” Newt answered, but when he turned to look at the Director, his face drained of color and Graves caught sight of this.

“What?” He asked, but he didn’t need an answer when he looked down and spotted a squirming lump in his coat pocket. He watched as a platypus-like creature poked its head out, the chain of his pocket-watch, a family heirloom, wrapped around its head. Before he could reach down to remove whatever it was from his pocket, the animal hit the floor and scurried away at an impressive speed.

“Niffler, that is _not yours!_ ” Newt reprimanded, but the Niffler remained unbothered as it scurried between his legs and squeezed itself through a crack in a door on the far side of the room. “Merlin’s beard,” he muttered to himself and pursued the creature, throwing the door open and running down the stairs. Graves, now left alone within the shed, was surprised that the suitcase extended further than just this room, and since his job was to expect it, he walked to the doorway and swept his eyes over everything in view. Uncharacteristically overwhelmed, he slowly stepped down onto the dirt and observed a...Thunderbird? In an enclosure to his left, the enormous bird sat perched upon a red rock formation, tilting its head much like a confused dog at his presence. Newt’s distant voice broke him from his trance and he began following the direction it came from, head moving right to left and up and down at everything. A blue dot zipped over his head, and while he was occupied watching that, he nearly trampled on a group of vibrant pink slugs that released bubbles from their mouths. One of them floated up and popped in his face, causing him to sputter and use his jacket sleeve to wipe it away. He did not want to know what those bubbles were.

Now choosing his steps much more carefully, he continued on. _How much magic was put into this?_ He was so impressed, he wasn’t even thinking about how illegal all of this was. The creatures didn’t seem to be mistreated; on the contrary, they all seemed at peace, going about what they’d usually do in their legitimate habitats. A loud roar managed to startle him, and he watched, on a rock formation to his left, as a Nundu made its presence known. “Shit.”

“Director?!” Newt called for him, and he kept walking, this time a little faster. When the man came into view, he looked significantly tousled with the mischievous platypus-thing hanging from his hand, shaking it up and down until his pocket-watch fell out of its pouch into Newt’s hand.

A bit out of breath, Newt set the Niffler back down. “Now go back to your… no, don’t give me that look. You have enough of your own jewellery. Go.” It only gave him a sad look before turning and sniffing the ground as it walked away. Sighing, thinking of the _wonderful_ impression he’s now left on the Director, he faced the man, holding out the watch. “I’m terribly sorry. But that was the creature Tina was talking about.”

Unable to form a coherent thought, Graves just accepted the watch, inspecting it to make sure it hadn’t been scuffed or damaged during the chase. Newt seemed to know what he was doing. “I wouldn’t worry about that. Nifflers keep everything they steal in pristine condition. They wouldn’t want it anymore if it wasn’t.” Slipping the item back into his pocket, he rounded on Newt.

“So… what’s all this for?” He asked, not bothering to maintain his work facade. 

Newt was surprised that the Director wanted to know, but he began explaining, “I’ve collected all these creatures during my travels. Most of them were either injured, being trafficked, or both. I keep them in here as I bring them back to health and until I’m able to get them back to their original habitat.” 

As he spoke, Graves watched the way the tenseness left his posture and the way his eyes seemed to adopt a passionate shine. They began walking back to the shed and Graves admired the man for the first time. His wavy hair hung over his forehead and he itched to reach over and brush it away. The man was a few inches taller than him, which irritated him a little bit, but he quickly got over it as he admired all of the freckles on his skin. Newt must have taken notice of his inattention and blushed at the look he was being given, making Graves nearly moan. He’d never met a man so… pretty. “Are you part Veela?” He asked seriously.

Newt’s flush deepened and Graves cleared his throat.. Why would the Director ask him that? “No… why?”

“You’re very pretty.” Newt actually had to stop walking at this, heart beating so hard that he could feel it in his ears, and Graves turned when he noticed the man was no longer beside him, body moving on its own accord so he stood right in front of him. He felt compelled to touch him.

“Did you happen to come across the Libidine Slugs?” He asked dreadfully, backing away as the Director tried to caress his cheek.

“Those pink slugs? Yeah. Had one of their bubbles pop right in my face,” he answered, moving after the man. He _really_ wanted to touch him.

“Oh, dear. I’m afraid those bubbles can be a weak aphrodisiac for some. I have an antidote for that, though,” he explained, moreso thinking to himself and missing Graves advancing on him. It was brought to his attention when the man crushed him in a hug and rubbed his nose against his neck, making him gasp as the grey stubble on the man’s jaw scratched against his skin. “Director, stop!” He yelled, trying to push the man away but failing miserably; Graves only snuggled into him further. The aphrodisiac shouldn’t have had this much of an effect on the man.

“Mmm.” Something against the side of his head made him open his eyes.

“I’m terribly sorry about this, Director.” He made to ask what he was talking about, but his unspoken question was answered when Newt muttered “Stupefy” and his world went black.

***

“I can’t _believe_ that you took the Director into your case and brought him back out _unconscious_.” Was the first thing he heard as he gradually regained consciousness. It sounded like Goldstein, but where was he?

“The unconsciousness is my fault. He accidentally came into contact with Libidine Slugs and tried to make a move on me. I put him out so he wouldn’t do anything he’d regret..” There was Newt, and _that’s_ why he was unconscious. That was respectable, but he still wouldn’t mind making a move on him sober. _Wait, what?_

“ _He tried to what?_ ”

“I gave him the antidote while he was out. He should be fine now!” Before Goldstein could respond to the man, he let out a grunt so they knew he was awake. He was still too out-of-it to form words.

‘Director?” Newt asked, and he forced his eyes open, looking up into the face of the magizoologist while squinting at the light. 

“Oh, please call me Percival.” 

“Are you sure the antidote worked?” Tina asked worriedly, for he never gave anyone permission to use his first name. 

Graves decided to act on his feelings for once, for he knew it would greatly shock the woman and he really did want Newt for himself. “There’s no antidote for Newt’s beauty,” he spoke dreamily. Newt once again dodged the hand reaching out to him.

“Perhaps not,” the man answered worriedly, turning to rummage through his suitcase, only to be stopped by Graves taking hold of his jacket and yanking him on top of him. Newt and Tina squeaked at the same time, and the man that was all limbs found his face inches away from Graves’ with that blush dusting his cheeks. 

“I’m perfectly fine, Newt. You mentioned that the Libidine Slugs’ bubbles acted only as a weak aphrodisiac, right?”

“Well, yes… but…”

“You know what makes aphrodisiacs stronger correct?” 

“It’s said that if the person already has an attraction to them that it’s stronger, but that’s not poss--”

“Why isn’t it?” Graves interrupted, and Newt understood what he was implying, expression of pure disbelief. Tina had long since left the room to give the two of them privacy.

“Well, I don’t know. I’m not really attractive, physically or mentally” The words out of the magizoologist’s mouth were so incorrect that Graves had to scoff. 

“I beg to disagree. Now lay down.” Graves ordered, and Newt only blushed, tucking his face in the crook his neck. “Even though I was under the influence, I still meant my words. You are very pretty.” He could _feel_ the heat radiating off of the man’s face, which wasn’t very disconcerting, but what was disconcerting was when he heard Newt sniff and the collar of his shirt began to dampen. “Newt?” He asked, now concerned and sitting up with the man in his lap. “I’m sorry. Am I coming off too strong?”

“N-no. I just d-don’t know how to take c-compliments. At least that’s what my brother tells me,” he answered, rubbing at his eyes to try and cease the spilling tears.

“I guess I’ll have to teach you how,” Graves answered, pushing the man down so that he could be the one cuddled into the other’s neck. “But for now, hold me.” His tone was no different than when he told one of his Aurors to do something, and Newt managed a giggle at this before shyly complying. It looks like they’d both have to thank those slugs later.


End file.
